High molecular weight linear polyesters and copolyesters of glycols and terephthalic or isophthalic acid have been available for a number of years. These are described inter alia in Whinfield et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,465,319 and in Pengilly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,047,539, incorporated herein by reference. These patents disclose that the polyesters are particularly advantageous as film and fiber formers.
With the development of molecular weight control, the use of nucleating agents and two-step molding cycles, poly(ethylene terephthalate) has become an important constituent of injection moldable compositions. Poly(1,4-butylene terephthalate), because of its very rapid crystallization from the melt, is uniquely useful as a component in such compositions. Workpieces molded from such polyester resins, alone or combined with reinforcements, in comparison with other thermoplastics, offer a high degree of surface hardness and abrasion resistance, high gloss, and lower surface friction.
Stable polyblends of poly(1,4-butylene terephthalate) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) can be molded into useful unreinforced and reinforced articles. See Fox and Wambach, U.S. Pat. No. 3,953,394, incorporated herein by reference.
Block copolyesters containing units derived from poly(1,4-butylene terephthalate) and from an aromatic/aliphatic or aliphatic polyesters are also known. See, copending application U.S. Ser. No. 752,325, filed Dec. 20, 1976, incorporated herein by reference. Such block copolyesters are useful per se as molding resins and also in intimate combination with poly(1,4-butylene terephthalate) and/or poly(ethylene terephthalate).
It has been proposed to increase the impact strengths of polyesters by adding various modifiers. For example, Brinkmann et al in U.S. Pat. No. 3,591,659 discloses that a useful family of modifiers comprises polyalkyl acrylates, methacrylates and/or ethacrylates. Baron et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,044,073 disclose that a useful impact modifier for such polyesters is an aromatic polycarbonate. Schlichting et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,748 disclose that a rubber-elastic graft copolymer having a glass temperature below -20.degree. C. is a useful modifier. Lane, U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,013, and Farnham et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,202 disclose that useful impact modifiers comprise multiple stage polymers having a rubbery first stage and a hard final stage, preferably including units derived from alkyl acrylates, especially butyl acrylates. Baron et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,016 (corres. German Pat. No. 2,650,870) disclose an impact modifier combination comprising a blend of a polyurethane and an aromatic polycarbonate. Copending application Ser. No. 870,679, filed Jan. 19, 1978, discloses an impact modifier combination comprising a segmented block copolyester and an aromatic polycarbonate. Copending application Ser. No. 957,801, filed Nov. 6, 1978, discloses an impact modifier combination comprising a blend of a polyalkylacrylate and an aromatic polycarbonate. Gergen et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,090,996 disclose an impact modifier combination for poly(1,4-butylene terephthalate) and other polyester resins comprising a selectively hydrogenated monoalkenyl arene-diene block copolymer, and an engineering thermoplastic, e.g., poly(aryl ether), poly(aryl sulfone), polycarbonate, acetal, etc. Nakamura et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,864,428 disclose poly(butylene terephthalate) alone or combined in blends with other polyesters, impact modified with conjugated diene/vinyl aromatic copolymers grafted with methacrylate monomer and aromatic polycarbonate. Nakamura et al do not disclose block copolyesters of poly(1,4-butylene terephthalate) and aromatic/aliphatic or aliphatic polyesters. All of the foregoing patents and the application are incorporated herein by reference.
Although filled and/or reinforced and/or flame retardant modifications of the foregoing are described in the above-mentioned references, they lack one or more desirable attributes, when molded.
It has now been discovered that block copolyesters of poly(1,4-butylene terephthalate) and combinations thereof with poly(1,4-butylene terephthalate) and/or poly(ethylene terephthalate) will be greatly improved in impact strength as molded as well as after annealing and at -20.degree. F., by intimately admixing therewith an impact improving modifier combination comprising an acrylic or methacrylic monomer grafted polymer of a conjugated diene alone or combined with a vinyl aromatic and an aromatic polycarbonate resin. As will also be shown, the new compositions of this invention can be reinforced with glass, and/or rendered flame-retardant.